Registration with Tourism Dept mandatory: Director of Tourism warns shacks

Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: ‘We will take stern action against all the non-registered tourism activities and stop all illegal Tourism activities, nor will bow down to any political intervention/pressure in cleansing the tourism sector of the State’,” informed Director of Tourism Nikhil Dessai in the presence of Minister of Tourism Rohan Khaunte on Thursday at Canacona.
Earlier, the All Goa Private Property Shacks and Huts Owners Association (AGPPSHOA), led by its president Dharmesh Saglani in interaction with Minister for Tourism Rohan Khaunte, put forth a series of five demands of private property shacks and huts owners stating they are facing difficulties in the same and wants the department to assist them in easing their Trade.
Saglani highlighted Mopa Airport would kill tourism Trade in the Southernmost Canacona Taluka and suggested a few steps, including dropping the tourists arriving at Most up to Margao to ease out or facilitate Canacona stakeholders.
Saglani sought to facilitate extension/renewal (issued for five years) of CRZ permits without going through the entire process/formalities (which were done initially).
Stating as many as 24 different NOC’s/permits, besides taking as much as six months from CRZ to Weights and Measures, Saglani demanded a Single-Window system.
Nandip Bhagat informed Government should quickly resolve the parking owes, especially at Palolem, door-to-door Garbage collection facilities at Agonda, ease of traffic as rush erupts on weekends, etc. Pankaj Naikgaunkar and a few others also spoke.
In his first reaction, minister Khaunte sought to know the number of Shacks and Huts operated by AGPPSHOA in Canacona and the number of tourism hotels and resorts that are registered with the department amongst them.
Saglani replied about 200 people operate the Tourism Huts and Rooms, and almost all have registered with the Tourism department.
A tourism official seated behind in his brief to the minister informed that till Wednesday (09/11/2022), only 30 applicants/stakeholders have registered with the department from Canacona. The minister was heard politely informing all the AGPPSHOA President and members present for the meeting that only 30 have registered with the department
Just then, Director of Tourism Nikhil Dessai, taking over from the minister, said clearly that Registration of Tourism Trade, especially Shacks, is a mandatory obligation. ‘We are going to take strict action against all the non-registered tourism activities, even yesterday we have issued notices to so many violators, and we will continue to take action against all such activities in the coming days. Registration with the tourism department is compulsory, and no political pressure or intervention will be entertained in this context whatsoever. Just legalise your activities first,’, Dessai told all the Shacks and Huts Owners bluntly in the presence of Minister Khaunte and went on to explain how the department has eased the registration procedure to just two-three documents, including personnel ID and proof of property Ownership.
Having realised the AGPPSHOA members were caught on the wrong side, Dharmesh Saglani stood up and made a fervent appeal to all the present AGPPSHOA members to register their property with the tourism department.